PAUKEN II.:
China Trends, staying updated on the latest news and events in China.
Hello and welcome to this edition of China Trends, I am your host Thomas Pauken II. in Beijing.
With China’s extension of its high-level opening-up policy, there are more and more people from the European countries choosing to live and work in China.
Let’s also take note that German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has just wrapped up his three-day visit to China that ended earlier this week. He was accompanied by a huge delegation of CEOs from leading companies, including Siemens, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW among others.
And what’s most intriguing is that the German Chancellor selected Chongqing as the first leg of his China tour. But, why Chongqing? And does Germany have strong ties with the municipality? Well, let’s ponder that for a moment and dive deeper.
Today, I am most grateful to be joined by Raphael Zumsteg-Yuan through a video link. He’s a gentleman from the Switzerland, who works as the legal manager at SinoSwiss Technopark in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality.
After studying, living and working in China for many years in different cities across the country, today, he has many stories about China to share with us, as well as the numerous exchanges between China and the Europe in his own eyes.
Pauken II.: Hello, Raphael, please tell us more about yourself, as well as your working and living experiences in China?
Zumsteg-Yuan: Hi, Thomas. Thank you very much for having me on China Trends. My name is Raphael Zumsteg-Yuan. I'm living and working here in Chongqing in the southwest of China. I first came to China in 2018, then I was a law student at Peking University Law School. And since 2019, I moved together with my wife here to the southwest. My first job was in a law firm, and now since close to 3 years, I'm working for the SinoSwiss Technopark.
Pauken II.: Can you tell me a little bit more about your life and work in China?
Zumsteg-Yuan: I'm now the legal manager here at the SinoSwiss Technopark. I think one of the most attractive things here in China are the dynamic lifestyle here. People, they want to do things, they want to move forward. I find it personally very inspiring. And I can admit that it's also rather contagious.
Pauken II.: Based on your observations, what types of foreign-run companies have a presence at the SinoSwiss Technopark?
Zumsteg-Yuan: There are indeed still several sectors that are performing very well. To name just a few. We have the new electric vehicle industry, we have maritime as well as aviation.
What we are witnessing is, in fact, an increased interest here in the in the southwest. So people are not only interested in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou, but there's an increased interest for this region here, the southwest. I think that the Chengdu-Chongqing Economic Circle has very attractive conditions for companies who want to tap into a new potential markets. Furthermore, it's also considerably closer to southeast Asian markets.
Pauken II.: Since last December, citizens from several European countries, including your home country, the Switzerland, do not require a visa to visit here for a short stay. To what extent do you think this policy will make China a much more attractive location for Europeans to come here for either leisure or business travel?
Zumsteg-Yuan:Last month, this policy has been implemented. We are very happy to see that, especially members from our Swiss Chinese Chamber of Commerce have already started to use these visa advantages. And of course, it's a great benefit. It's making traveling much easier, both for leisure, but also for business. There is no doubt that this policy is bringing people closer together. Now, actually, China is just a click away. You book your flight and and you are good to go. So I think this is really helping the two countries to be closer together and enabling more business and more exchange.
Pauken II.: China has also expanded its payments’ options for foreigners visiting China temporarily. They can choose either to pay by their foreign credit cards or scan a QR code on their cellphones at most Chinese tourist spots and hotels. To what extent do you think this can help foreigners to travel and perform business functions in the country?
Zumsteg-Yuan: Same as the visa free policy, these expansions of payment services is also very much helping and welcoming for foreign businesses and travelers to come to China. Now, since we have these advanced payment options, people are really more independent. (It is) definitely a very good development.
Pauken II.: As you have been studying, working and living in China for a number of years, we know that you have gained deeper knowledge about Chinese culture. If you would like to make any recommendations about promoting Chinese culture and Chinese tourism to your fellow Swiss friends and family members in Europe, what would they be?
Zumsteg-Yuan: I think from a culture point of view, language is key to culture, to understand culture, to communicate, to have access to it. And I think even a few words can can already make a difference in the interaction with people and the access to culture. Then from a tourism point of view, I would of course recommend people to travel to Chongqing. I think that the city really offers the best of both worlds. It has a natural beauty, and then it has a very dynamic big city life.
Pauken II.: Well, it’s time to move forward on the topic of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz finishing up his recent tour of China..
So, Raphael, as a person from the Europe and currently working in business, in your opinion, what signal did Scholz deliver to his huge business delegation to China?
Zumsteg-Yuan: According to Germany's federal statistical office, China has been Germany's most important trading partner in 2023, and this already now for eight consecutive years. At the same time, Germany is also，for China, the most important trading partner in Europe. So I think Chancellor Scholz’s visit should be seen from this perspective. Of course, both countries are very much interested in boosting these existing trade ties.
Pauken II.: In your eyes , why did Scholz make Chongqing his first stop in China?
Zumsteg-Yuan: Chongqing is home to more than 80 German companies. For instance, there is BMW here, we have the chemical producer BASF, there's Continental and many other big players. Chongqing is a car manufacturing hub, especially very active now in the new (energy) vehicles industry, and this Germany is one of the most important players in the automotive industry. Of course, German manufacturers are following these developments here in Chongqing very closely.
Pauken II.: If any businesses from the European countries come to you to inquire about potentially investing in China, would you recommend them to invest here?
Zumsteg-Yuan: I would of course suggest them to invest in Chongqing. This century, as we know, is the Asian Century. China is the main growth engine of Asia, of this Asian century. So all the companies that's are globally active. They can actually not afford to be absent from China.
Pauken II.:
Thank you Raphael Zumsteg-Yuan for joining me today.
Raphael has provided insightful answers in regards to China-Europe relations.
Here on China Trends. And now let’s conclude our episode for today.
I’m your host, Thomas Pauken II.and I will see you next time ...
